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The Lexicon in a polyglot-savant's L1, L2, Ln: evidence from cognates
No full textThe aim of this paper is twofold: first, to proνide independent eνidence for the claim that the Lexicon constitutes an interface component between the Language Module and the central cognitive systems (Tsimpli, 1992). Lexical/morphological operations are assumed tο occur in parallel with syntactic ones, and, while there is interaction between the two components, there is no one to- one correspondence between the range of possible mappings. Secondly, this paper aims to describe, and tentatively explain, the exceptiona1linguistic abίlities of a polyglot-saνant (Christopher), whose deficits in relation to L2 syntax as well as extra-linguistic performance contrast with his intact, and possibly 'enhanced' lexical knowledge of native and non-native languages (Smith Tsimpli (forthcoming)).The data presented focus on cognate-pairings, i.e lexical items in an L2 that trigger L1 entries which share certain (formal) properties with the L2 input. Cognates have been ίndependently argued to gίve use το more 'errors' in interlanguage lexica1 accessing than non-cognates (cf. CarroI1 (1989), Christofannini et a1 (1986). Christopher's performance on such data conform with the findings presented in the above mentioned studies, the difference being that Christopher's overall performance is significantly better than that of the average L2 learner. Specifically, Christopher's results appear similar tο the average L2 leamer's with regard to the ratio of cognate vs non-cognate 'errors', but his overall results are ranked significantly higher than most of the control subjects.The above mentioned results support the claim that lexical representations of native and non-native languages are included in a single mental component which is subject ιο similar operations of lexica1 accessing; these are primarily based οn morpho-phonologica1 feature specification rather than specification based οn semantic or etymological properties. The latter appear tο constitute 'central' cognitive representations and, are, thus, subsequent to modular (linguistic) processing
Interrogatives in the Greek / English interlanguage: a minimalist account
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Attrition effects in Greek as a native language
No full textThis paper presents a set of results from a larger study on first language attrition as this is evidenced in native speakers of Greek who are near-native speakers of English. The motivation for this research is based on the assumption that end- state native grammars are not affected by the development of other language systems within the same individual. This study restricts the investigation of LI attrition to the case of extensive language contact between the native (Greek) and the second language (English). The data presented supports the theoretically-based claim that semantic features are more vulnerable to attrition effects than formal, morphosyntactic features
Iterprétabilité des traits et acquisition des langues maternelle et seconde : clitiques et déterminants en grec
Get PDFL’hypothèse que cet article vise à tester consiste à expliquer la différence entre l’acquisition de la L1 par l’enfant et d’une L2 par un adulte grâce à la distinction entre traits grammaticaux « interprétables » (sémantiques) et « ininterprétables » (formels). Selon cette hypothèse, la différence entre grammaires de première et de seconde langue serait limitée au domaine des traits ininterprétables, les seuls soumis aux contraintes de la « période critique », et inaccessibles de ce fait lors de l’acquisition d’une L2 analyseraient de manière erroné les éléments de la langue cible qui comportent des faisceaux de ces traits. En grec, les pronoms clitiques et l’article défini appartiennent à la même catégorie –celle des D(éterminants), et répondent à cette description. Les pronoms clitiques de 1er et 2 personne se distinguent de ceux de 3e personne en ce que les premiers comportent le trait interprétable [personne], trait qui n’est pas spécifié dans le cas des derniers. L’hypothèse prédit en conséquence que l’acquisition de la L2 devrait refléter cette différence par un développement distinct des clitiques possédant le trait [personne] et de ceux qui en sont dépourvus. Les données permettent d’affirmer que la primo-acquisition des clitiques et des déterminants du grec se caractérise par deux stades, un premier où ces morphèmes –ainsi, vraisemblablement, que les projections correspondantes –sont absents, et un second qui atteste de la revanche les données qui concernent un stade avancé d’acquisition de la L2 manifestent la persistance de problèmes concernant les clitiques de 3e personne et l’article défini, ce qui confirme l’hypothèse d’une hiérarchie d’accessibilité des traits interprétables et ininterprétables. Elles montrent en même temps que l’emploi des déterminants et des clitiques est limité p ar un trait de [référence / définitude] que la grammaire de L2 impose à ces éléments problématiques, leur attribuant ainsi, de façon erronée, des traits interprétables pour lutter contre le caractère erratique d’un emploi purement optionnel.The aim of this paper is to investigate a learnability hypothesis for child L1 and adult L2 acquisition formulated on the basis of the distinction between interpretable and uninterpretable grammatical features. It is argued that the difference between first and second language grammars is restricted to the domain of uninterpretable features in that these are subject to Critical Period constraints. Consequently, uninterpretable features become inaccessible in L2 acquisition and, thus, “late”L2 grammars misanalyse elements which are clusters of such features in the target language. Morphological elements of this type are pronominal clitics and the definite article in Greek which belong to the same category, namely D(eterminer). The distinction within the set of pronominal clitics between 1st and 2nd prson clit ics, on one hand, and 3rd person clitics, on the other, is also viewed as a difference between the former composition, while the latter are unspecified for this feature. As a result, the prediction is that L2 acquisition should mirror this difference in terms of a dissociation in the development of clitics with a [person] feature, and those without. On the basis of the data presented, it is argued that L1 acquisition of clitics and determiners is characterized by an earliest stage where these morphemes – and, arguably, the corresponding projections –are missing, to the second stage which shows mastery of the relevant features regardless of interpretability. On the other hand, L2 acquisition data from an advanced stage of development show persistent problems in the use of the 3rd person clitic and the definite article, thus supporting the hypothesis regarding the learnability hierarchy of interpretable and uninterpretable features and, at the same time, showing that use of determiners and clitics is restricted by a feature of [referentiality / definiteness] imposed on these problematic elements by the L2 grammar. As a result, L2 grammars are shown to “misanalyse” these elements by attributing interpretable features to them in order to constrain random optionality in their use
Functional categories and maturation The prefunctional stage of language acquisition
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Linguistic Processing and Executive Control: Evidence for Inhibition in Broca’s Aphasia
No full textAbstract and full text of the articles are freely available on www.degruyter.com (De Gruyter Open)
The Multilingual Assessment Instrument for Narratives: Greek
No full textThis paper presents an overview of the adaptation of the Multilingual Assessment Instrument for Narratives in Greek, focusing on its use in Greek academic and diagnostic settings. A summary of the properties of the Greek language and the concomitant challenges these language-specific properties posed to MAIN adaptation are presented along with a summary of published studies with monolingual Greek-speaking children and bilingual children with Greek as L2, with and without Developmental Language Disorder
The effect of print exposure upon performance on the Raven Progressive Matrices Test
Get PDFThis study examines a potential relationship between reading and performance on a fluid intelligence test. Participants were 89 adults (M age= 39.0) of various educational backgrounds. Reading volume was assessed by the Greek versions of the Author and Magazine Recognition test (here ART-GR and MRT-GR respectively) initially developed by Stanovich and West (1989). Fluid intelligence was assessed by the Raven Progressive Matrices Test (Raven 1938), a non-verbal, graphical test. Participants with greater print exposure as measured both by the ART-GR and the MRT-GR reported greater fluid intelligence scores. The same was true for participants with more advanced than lower educational background
Linguistic Structure and Narrative Quality in Child L1 Production
No full textAbstract and full text of the articles are freely available on www.degruyter.com (De Gruyter Open)
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